Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Raquel.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
Unrealistic faith in an unrealistic dream that God gave me in my pre-teens. Then I pursued vocal training and platforms to expand my talent. I practiced financial wisdom to outlast rainy days and long droughts and developed mental and emotional resilience through relationships, failures, success, heartbreak, reading and reflection. You can not skip the process- ALL of these things helped me to grow so I could handle success and pay whatever the price required.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
Waiting…lol. And a lot of misunderstandings, unmet expectations, healing of personal triggers, loving and forgiving people in their trauma, overcoming the fear of aging and criticism, watching as milestones and dreams crashed and burned. Learning to try again with latent and overt insecurities, impotent college degrees, personal vanity and pride, external shame, internal condemnation; I mean the list goes on. I’ve had to regularly choose to be extreme and intentional with my exposure to negative conversations, media, perspectives, food, lifestyles, relationships, beliefs, emotional abuse, religious traumas and cultural norms. You think it, I’ve done it. Ultimately I’ve learned, you can’t be different unless you BE DIFFERENT.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
I create movement. I make artist show up as and for themselves. Most singers don’t know how AND even if they cognitively knew how, they emotionally can’t. Fearlessly showing up, as your truest self, consistently- especially for vocalist who are both deeply creative and spiritual, feels conflicting at times and counter-intuitive because what you want to be and see in the world does not exist until you create it. That can feel really scary and isolating but simultaneously inspiring because you know you’re necessary. During early motherhood, I put singing and touring on hold to focus on voice coaching so I deeply understand what it takes to give voice to an art that’s been ruminating inside of you and then gather the courage to share it….publicly. It takes an enormous amount of skill, internal fortitude, awareness and love.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life? First believe that there is a success that will not harm you or others. You can be extraordinary and have peace. Then prepare yourself and your environment for the life-giving success you envision: (ie, develop character, skill, genuine intimacy with solid people). Third, STOP looking for “success”. Searching for it OR trying to “find” it will only make you anxious, fearful and vulnerable to the shame that comes once you inevitably begin comparing yourself with someone else’s journey. Their success is not for you, otherwise you’d be them. Finally, lean into the areas where you’re EXTRA DOPE, (it’s the things that just come easy for you) then daily ask God for the clues that will help you wisely navigate the unique path that is tailor made for you, your unexplainable gifts and your real (not projected) personality.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Learning why you were divinely shot out of the mind of God during this specific time frame, protectively nurturing that reason and executing that assignment on YOUR highest level, consistently… not Perfectly. Basically obey God, His reason for making you and His way of leading you, daily. Also, Brian Tracy teaches an amazing method for clarifying which successful path to choose: Write 10 goals for next 12 months, choose the one that would have the greatest impact if accomplished in 24 hours, set a deadline, list a minimum of 20 ways to accomplish it, do something from that list everyday.
What’s next for you?
Several record label execs were gracious enough to inform me that I was too old and different to be a viable vocalist. Phrases like “I see you more as an Amel Larrieux” and “You’re beautiful for your age but the music industry would never invest in an artist over 25”, were common responses. So now that my sons are older and more independent, I’m going to do it myself. I’m re-releasing my freshmen album “Fallen” which I never got to promote due to carrying and nurturing a couple humans. And I’m inviting artist and fellow creatives in the journey to do the same at www.bravevoiceacademy.com. Lastly, inserting more integrity and beauty into the music industry with the purpose of healing hearts and intentionally redirecting this oversexualized and devalued narrative around women, especially black and brown women, is a huge passion.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
Amandais.com is the mothership, everything about me is there. More pressing, if you are a singer, who is not singing, but is clear that you should be singing, quit playin’ and then visit www.bravevoiceacademy.com, lol. Finally, I’m at AmandaMuxic on IG, Facebook and YouTube.